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Protect Queen from Cutout Comb instead of Graft Bar cup

So I put a queen cell that I cut out of comb into a queenless nuc and they ripped her apart. I purchased those orange queen protectors but notice they don't split apart and are designed for graft cups to sit inside.

Is there a way to protect a cutout of comb queen cell transplanted into a queenless hive until she hatches?

Re: Protect Queen from Cutout Comb instead of Graft Bar cup

I have one in a mini mating nuc now waiting to hatch. I'll get a better feel for how they work tonight when I harvest the 6 queen cells in one hive and put them in the cages to hatch out the virgins. I built a special holder for my topbar hive to keep them in.holder_rollercage.jpg

Re: Protect Queen from Cutout Comb instead of Graft Bar cup

Re: Protect Queen from Cutout Comb instead of Graft Bar cup

I use roller cages, I cut a plug of extra wax above the cell and use this to mash around the top to seal off the roller cage. If the bees are determined to kill the cell, they can chew through it though and get in, so sealing it off with a different cap the bees can't chew through is probably better, but for the most part it's not an issue.

Re: Protect Queen from Cutout Comb instead of Graft Bar cup

Just checked my first group of cells in the roller cages. Only 1 in 5 hatched. The other 4 were riddled with SHB larvae. What was the difference in the one that did hatch? I had added 2 workers inside the cage with the queen cell. Nice fat queen too. Now she is in a queenless nuc with a marshmellow in the bottom of the roller cage.

I put round #2 in the roller cages and this time added workers to each cage as well.